ORANGE FARM , South Africa — Dressed in a red robe and agold- trimmed bishop’ s miter , the clergyman pours whiskeyinto his cupped hand and anoints the forehead of the mansitting before him.“ You are hereby invested as a minister ... This is a double tot , ”he says of the remaining whiskey in the chalice . He hands it tothe new minister , who downs it.“ Hallelujah!” shout the congregation members who erupt insinging and dancing, swigging from bottles of beer .Welcome to Gabola Church, which celebrates the drinking ofalcohol. The South African church was started eight monthsago and has found an enthusiastic following .“ We are a church for those who have been rejected by otherchurches because they drink alcohol, ” Gabola ’s founder andself- declared pope , Tsietsi Makiti , told The Associated Press .“ Gabola Church is established to redeem the people who arerejected , who are regarded as sinners. We drink fordeliverance. We are drinking for the Holy Ghost to come intous.”Others in South Africa are outraged by Gabola , saying it is nota church at all.“ Gabola has nothing to do with the word of God. Those are notchurch services , ” said Archbishop Modiri Patrick Shole ,director of the South African Union Council of IndependentChurches . “ They are using the Bible to promote taverns anddrinking liquor. It is blasphemous. It is heresy and totallyagainst the doctrines. ” He said his organization intends to seethat authorities close Gabola for breaking municipalregulations that say churches should not be located near bars.Gabola is not a member of the mainstream South AfricanCouncil of Churches , which said it has no comment about it.Gabola is not affiliated with any other denominations .About 80 percent of South Africa’ s 56 million people professto be Christian . In addition to Catholic and Protestantdenominations , there are small independent ones withunusual practices like handling snakes. One pastor recentlywas found guilty of assault for spraying Doom , a popularinsecticide , into worshippers’ faces , which was supposed tochase away evil spirits .The condemnation by other Christian organizations did notbother the 30 worshippers attending a recent Gabola service ,held in a bar in the sprawling Orange Farm township 40kilometers (25 miles ) south of Johannesburg .A pool table served as the altar , adorned with bottles ofwhiskey and beer . Six ministers at the altar solemnly blessedthe chilled jumbo bottles of beer bought by most churchgoers .A few drank whiskey , brandy or other beverages , all of themsimilarly blessed . The congregation sang hymns praising thepositive effects of drinking. Three new Gabola members werebaptized with beer which covered their foreheads anddripped down their faces .Gabola means “ drinking” in Tswana, one of South Africa ’sofficial languages.“ Our aim is to convert bars, taverns and shebeens intochurches, ” Makiti said . “ And we convert the tavern- ownersinto pastors .”People in other churches “ say they are holy but they drink bythe back doors , in secret. They think God does not see them , ”he said . “ But the Lord zooms in on them and can see them .We drink openly at our services . We do so in peace and welove each other . ”Gabola ’s leader said he encourages people to drinkresponsibly and emphasizes that alcohol will only be sold andblessed to people who are 20 , two years older than SouthAfrica ’s legal drinking age .The rousing hymns praising the effects of alcohol broughtchurch members to their feet and they enthusiasticallystomped and danced in a circle , often around a beer bottle. Asthe three - hour service progressed they became louder , moreanimated and sloppier. Some dozed off during the sermon .“ Nothing is as happy in the world as people who drink ,” saidNigel Lehasa , who explained scripture during the service anddescribed himself as Gabola ’s professor . “ There is no fighting,no arguing . We have nothing but love .”